Magnetically-controlled switching apparatus.



- s. B. GONDIT, JR. MAGNETIOALLY CONTROLLED SWITCHING APPARATUS.

' v Patented Jan. 9,1 912.

' APPLICATION F ILED JAILS, 1911. 1,014,455.

IN VENTOR.

WITNESSES:

' ATTORNEY.

, UNITED STATES PATEN SEARS B. GONDIT, are, or BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAGNETICALLY-CONTROLLED SWITCHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

Application filed January 5,1911. Serial No. 601,027.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Snares B. CoNniT, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Magnetically- Controlled Switching Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification,-lil e letters on the drawlngs representing like parts.

' The present application is a divisionof my copending application Serial No. 483,781, filed March 16, 1909, and relates to a switch having a magnetiolocking device actuated by the passage] of current in the main line. 1 r

- My invention is particularly applicable as a disconnecting switch between the main line terminals and a main switch, whereby the disconnecting switch ismaintained in operative'relation during and by all'passage of current, so that it results in leading the operator always to open the main switch first before he disconnects it from the main line byoperating the disconnecting switch.

In the'accompanyingdrawings, in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invent-ion, Figure 1 is a view in side eleva tion of the dlsconnecting switch; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof;-

Fig. 3 is a sectional'view on the line 33, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a horizontal'sectional view showing the armature latch in plan; and Fig. 5 1s a diagrammatic view illustrating the complete'connections. p

My. invention may best be described in connection with one of the chief uses for which it is adapted, as shown in Fig. 5, in which a main switch 1 in the main lines '2, 3 is connected by conductors 4, 5 to the line terminals 6, 7 by my magnetically controlled disconnecting switches, one thereof being shown in each line connection at A and A respectively. As herein shown, these disconnectingswitches are preferably'of the knife-switch type, each switch having two' blades 8, 9'pivoted at their lower ends at 10 on any suitable'insulated support as a post 11., the blades or disconnecting members 8, 9 being adapted to be sprung-or forced over the projecting ends 12 of a terminal clip 13 from which extends the line terminal 6 or 7, as-the case may' be.- To render it impossible for a disconnecting switch A or A" to beopened on the occurrence of a sudden overload, for instance, thereby producing disastrous arcing, I provide magnetic holdin means for renderin it im ossible to open said switch (called anair switch in the parent case) during the passage of heavy-current, said means being shown as consisting of a turn of magnetic material about the clip 13 or projecting end terminal ofthe conductor 6, said turn of magnetic material being herein shown in-the form of a horseshoe 14 held immovably in place-at the base of the clip by any suitable'means, as by the projecting edges or base of the clip 13 and'a bolt 15. This electro-magnetic part extends downwardly at its lower end .to constitute a catch 16, and. cotiperating there- 'with is a latch 17 pivoted at 18 t0 the adjacent disconnecting members 8, 9. -At its forward end the latch has a cross bar 19 which acts as an armature with relation to the magnet 14, so that when heavy current latch 17 in engaged position so. that, 'irrespective of whether a heavy current is pass ing or not, the latch will normally interlock with the catch 16 and thereby aid in maintaining the current conductors in operative connection.

-Not only do the disconnecting switches A, A render it easy to kill the main switch 1 and whatever mechanism gnay be connect- 'ed therewith so that this ofitself cannot I complete the circuit (with the attendant advantages explained in the parent case), but they make it impossible for the conductors 4, 6 and 5, 7 to become unintentionally disconnected when current is passing. The

parts 1 117 constitute an electromagnetic locking device which guards against the opening of the air switches or disconnecting switches A, A before the main swltch or circuit breaker 1 is opened: This provision leads the operator always, to open'the main switch first before.he attempts to render it inoperative for controlling the main line.

Preferably the magnet l l is made of wrought iron to cooperate with the armature made of malleable iron, and the parts are so 10- *cated,"as shown, that they are netized by the flow of current through the directly magrelativel'y movable switch members 8, 9 and 12 between the conductors 4: and 6 or 5 and7. It will be understood that while the mechanism shown and described is preferred bccause of its simplicity and its convenience in connection with oil switches and the like, as explainedinthe parent application, the

invention may-obviously have a wide vari-.

ety of mechanicallydiii'erent embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as hereinafter defined inthe claims: Having described my invention, what I.

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j

1. The combination with a main switch and its circuit. of a disconnecting switch in the latter, and mechanism, including magnetic locking means, for normally holding the disconnecting switch closed for the transmission of normal main line current when the main switch is closed and rendered inoperative when the main switch is opened. 1

2. The combination with a main switch and its circuit, of a disconnecting switch in the latter, and mechanism rendered active by the passage of normal main line current for holding the disconnecting switch closed I for the transmission of saidcui'rent when the main switcl 'is closed, said m'echanism' being rendered inoperative when'the main switch is opened.

3. lhe combination with a. mtlill'SWlliClfl and its circuit, of a disconnecting. switch.

in the latter, and mechanism, including magnetic locking means, for normally holding the disconnecting switch closed for the trans mission offfull normal main .line current when the main switch is closed and rendered inoperative when the main switch is opened, said magnetic locking means having a latching armature on one of the relatively separable current switching members'of said disconnecting switch and a cooperating magnet oii the other of said relatively separable current switching members.

4. The combination with a main switch,-

the main line terminals, and a disconnecting switch between the latter and the main switch, of means rendered automatically opei'ative by the passage of current for maintillIllDg said d sconnecting switch closed and connected. for the transmission of normal 'inain 11116 current during said passage of current.

5 The combination with a main switch, the main line terminals, and a disconnecting switch between the latter and the main \Vitnesses:

switch, of magnetic locking means actuated by the passage of current to the main switch to maintain 831d disconnecting switch positively locked in 'circ'uit'closing position; and connected for the transmission of normal main line current.

o lhe combination with a main switch,

' the main line terminals, anda disconnecting switch between the latter and the main switch, of a movable locking latch carried by one of said members and maintained operative during" and by all passage'of current to engage an ad acent stationary part transmission of normal main line current. 7. A switch, hating its relatively sepav rable current sw tching members; provided -respectively with an electro-magnet and an armature having cooperative locking portions for pos tively locking the switch closed during the energizing of the electro-magnet'.

for holding the disconnecting switch in cir-. 'cuit clo'sing position and connected for the 8. A switch, having its:relat-ivelysepara ble current-switching members provided re-'- spectively with a magnet and an armature having cooperative latching portions and energized by the passage of currentthrough said current-switching --members.

9. A switch, comprising a stationary contact, and a-movable. contactfa magnet mounted on said: stationary'contactin posi tion to be energized by the passage of current through said contact when the movable rent through saidcontact when'themovable contact is moved to inaiircircuit closing po sition', a,latchiiig device mounted on the movable contact and provided with an armature-in position to be controlled by said magnetwlien energized by the passage of current for maintaining theswitch locked in-circuibclosingposition during the passage of current, and a spring normally tending to hold said latching device in said locked position. i l

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SEARS CONDIT, J R.

Gr. A. BURNHAM, ARTHUR F. Duncan.

' It is hereby certified that in Letters-Patent 1N0. 1,01 L ,45 5, g! ant6d January 1912, upon 'the application of Sears B. Condit, Jr hf Brqvkli'ne, Massachusetts, for a n impf'ovement in "-Magngticlly-Cohtrolld SwitchingApparatus, a'n'eriof appears in the printed specification l equirih'g'cbi'rection as follows: PageQ, line 39,

for the word clisconnceting head disconngcfingj; 21nd that .the said L etters P ate nt shohld he refad with this correction therein that the sad me nia y Conform to the. recorgi of {she case in th Pat t Ofiih; v I I Signed and seald thi s 6th, day of Rem-nar A. DL, 1912, v

SE51 v 0. CQBI LLINGS,

I Adm? Commissz'onw of Patents. 

